In network communication, standards are often used to define a particular set of electronic parameters in an effort to provide users with non-proprietary standard platform for connectivity hardware. One such example is the ANSI/TIA-568-C.2 standard provided by TIA which specifies the necessary amount of crosstalk (near end crosstalk (NEXT) and far end crosstalk (FEXT)) that is required to be generated by an RJ45 plug. While achieving each of these parameters alone can be relatively straight forward, meeting all the requirements simultaneously can be quite challenging.
For instance, for a given plug, NEXT is proportional to the sum of the capacitive and inductive crosstalk elements, while FEXT is proportional to the difference between the capacitive and inductive crosstalk elements. The more inductive crosstalk that is present within the body of the plug, the less capacitive crosstalk can be placed at the nose of the plug between the plug contacts while still satisfying the TIA NEXT and FEXT requirements. Therefore, the effective distance between the crosstalk and compensation (typically located in a corresponding jack) will increase as the amount of inductive crosstalk within the plug body increases. Conversely, decreasing the amount of inductive crosstalk within the plug body will support a design with more crosstalk between the plug contacts at the nose of the plug, thereby decreasing the distance between the crosstalk and compensation. However, some levels of inductive crosstalk must be maintained in order to meet the FEXT requirements.
Furthermore, due to manufacturing tolerances, certain plug designs are more susceptible to parameter fluctuations which may prevent proper operation within the specifications required by a particular standard.
These and other concerns create the need for continued improvements in network communication plug designs.